What problem or need is the project addressing?
Mymensingh and Sherpur districts are among the poorest in Bangladesh. They have been overlooked by donor funded projects (especially Sherpur); have large numbers of poor and marginal people; high rates of vulnerable ethnic minorities; and experience frequent natural disasters.
Agriculture is the main source of income in these districts, but small-scale farmers face a multitude of problems, including:
- Limited skills and access to services, resources, information, technology and markets
- Poor bargaining and negotiating capacity
- Need for environmentally-friendly agricultural practices that can adapt to climate change
- Inability to mitigate against shocks or stresses (financial, environmental, etc)
- Depletion in ground water levels, resulting in high irrigation costs
- Declining soil fertility as a result of excessive use of chemical fertilisers
- Poor policy implementation and lack of awareness amongst farmers of the benefits available
These problems mean that productivity, quality and prices are low, while costs are high (e.g. irrigation, transportation and storage). Farmers lack the volumes and capacity to bargain for better prices, face discrimination in accessing government services (especially the case for women and ethnic minorities) and have to endure the frequent threat of crop failure and loss of fish/livestock. This in turn creates high levels of food insecurity and extreme poverty.
What is the project doing?
The project aims to address these problems using a model developed through our very successful Sustainable Livelihoods for Poor Producers (SLIPP) project. SLIPP has trained over 300 private service providers (such as input sellers and output traders) who are now providing cost-effective services to farmers, and also created awareness amongst public service providers, local authorities and district administrations on the mutual benefits of working with farmer groups and associations (rather than individual farmers) to create a win-win situation.
This new project will scale up the work started during the SLIPP project, tackling the problems faced by small-scale farmers in Mymensingh and Sherpur in a number of ways:
- Helping farmers to organise into groups and associations. This will enable them to use their collective power to voice, negotiate and attain their rights and services from other stakeholders (such as public and private service providers and local authorities). It will also allow groups to achieve economies of scale, for example by bulk purchasing inputs and services.
- Raising awareness amongst public and private sector bodies and local authorities of the problems facing small and marginal farmers. Simultaneously, we willbuild the capacity of farmer organisations (especially the district and regional associations) to engage in dialogue with public and private sector stakeholders and negotiate for more supportive policies, increased resources and support.
- Improving farmers’ production practices and market access. Links will be built between service providers and farmer groups to ensure farmers can access appropriate and affordable agricultural services to help them improve cultivation practices, increase productivity, reduce costs and improve quality.
- Reducing farmers’ vulnerability to environmental and financial shocks and stresses. Farmers will be supported to adapt their cultivation practices so they are more resilient to shocks and stresses, especially natural disasters and climate fluctuations. This will include diversification (so farmers are less reliant on one crop) and adoption of more environmentally friendly practices (e.g. organic fertilisers to increase soil fertility).
What impact has the project had?
This is a new project so it is too early to assess impact. However, we expect it to have the following results:
- Farmers will be working collaboratively to improve their livelihoods and negotiate for better resources and services
- Government and private sector stakeholders will recognise the needs of target farmers and reflect these in the development of policies and practices
- Farmers will improve their production practices and market access
- Farmers will be less vulnerable to shocks and stresses, especially natural disasters and climate fluctuations
By organising farmers and linking them to information, skills, services and markets, the project will reduce costs of production, increase productivity and improve access to resources. This will lead to a 50% increase in income.
6,000 farmers and their families in Mymensingh and Sherpur districts will directly benefit from the project. At least 30% will be women from an ethnic minority group called the Garo. With an average family size of five, 30,000 people will directly benefit in total.
Our local partner
Traidcraft Exchange is implementing this project with Development Wheel (DEW). DEW works to “enhance household livelihood security of the poor by increasing their participation, in small-scale economic activities with a range of business and other life skills”.
How is this project funded?
The project is funded by the UK Government’s Department for International Development (75%), grant-making trusts, and donations from generous individuals.
